A group of young Angelenos traveled to Israel hoping for a fun and spiritual experience. But they also unexpectedly ended up in a country engaged in a tumultuous conflict.

The group returned to Los Angeles after a 10-day "Birthright Israel" trip, an all-expense paid journey through Israel for Jews aged 18-26. This particular group was sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

As the death toll mounted in the conflict between Israel and Gaza, parents of the participants grew more and more worried.

Shelly Eisinger Stark's daughter was on the trip. "It's very nerve-wracking. I was up all night," she said.

"I probably woke up every day he was gone at 4:30 a.m.," father Roland Rhone said.